Honestly, the first time you see a ChessUp 2 smart chess board light up, it feels a bit like cheating. Or like you’ve suddenly gained a superpower you didn’t earn. You touch a knight, and the board instantly glows: green squares for the best moves, blue for okay-ish ones, and red for the absolute "don't do that" blunders.
It’s a far cry from the old days of staring at a wooden board until your eyes crossed, wondering if your opponent was about to fork your queen.
But here is the thing. A lot of people see "smart boards" and think they're just glorified screens for people who can't put their phones down. With the ChessUp 2, Bryght Labs—the company behind it—is trying to prove that wrong. They want to bridge the gap between that tactile, "over-the-board" feel and the massive convenience of Chess.com.
What Really Changed with ChessUp 2?
If you owned the original ChessUp, you know it was cool but had its quirks. You basically had to have your phone propped up next to the board like a digital crutch. It was more like a peripheral than a standalone device.
The ChessUp 2 ditches that.
It has a built-in touchscreen and Wi-Fi. This sounds like a small tweak, but it’s actually the whole point. You log into your Chess.com account directly on the board. No phone required. You find a match, the board pairs you up, and when your opponent in Poland moves their rook, your board lights up to show you exactly where they went.
Under the Hood
The tech isn't just LEDs. They use something called "Touchsense" technology.
- Each piece is weighted and has a specific ID.
- The board knows exactly which piece you are holding the second you lift it.
- It runs Stockfish (the world's strongest chess engine) locally to give you those color-coded hints.
One thing that surprises people is the battery. It’s a 4000 mAh lithium polymer pack. You get about six to eight hours of play on a single charge. If the battery ever dies for good, it’s not a paperweight; you can actually unscrew the back and swap it out. That's a rare win for repairability in 2026.
The Lichess Integration Drama
For a while, the big complaint was that the board was a "Chess.com only" club. If you were a Lichess purist, you were basically out of luck.
That changed recently.
Through some significant firmware updates in late 2025, Bryght Labs finally rolled out full Lichess integration. You can now toggle between the two biggest platforms. It’s still a bit smoother on Chess.com—mostly because that’s what the UI was originally built for—but the Lichess crowd is finally getting some love.
The "Cheating" Question
Is using a ChessUp 2 smart chess board cheating?
It depends on who you ask. If you’re playing a rated game online and using the "green move" highlights, then yes, technically the platform would flag you. The board handles this by having different "assistance levels."
When you’re in a serious online match, the assistance is typically disabled. You’re just using the board as a physical interface for the digital game. But when you’re playing a bot or a friend sitting across from you, that's where the magic happens.
Imagine playing your grandfather who has been playing since the Fischer era. You’re a beginner. You can set your assistance to level 4 (lots of hints) while he plays on level 0 (no help). It levels the playing field without him having to "go easy" on you. It makes the game competitive for both people, which is honestly a genius move for families.
Real-World Feedback: The Good and the Gritty
I've seen a lot of users on Reddit and BoardGameGeek debating if the $350+ price tag is worth it.
The build quality is generally praised. It’s sleeker and thinner than the Gen 1. The pieces feel like "real" chess pieces, not hollow plastic toys.
However, it’s not perfect. Some users have reported a slight lag during blitz games. If you're a "3-minute-no-increment" addict, moving a physical piece and waiting for the board to register it might cost you those precious milliseconds. It's much better suited for Rapid (10+ minutes) or Daily games.
Also, the notation letters and numbers on the side? Kinda small. If your eyesight isn't great, you might find yourself squinting at the board to make sure you're on the right rank.
Pricing and What You Actually Get
The board usually retails around $349 to $399 depending on the season and whether you catch a sale.
What’s in the box?
- The ChessUp 2 board (roughly 16x14 inches).
- A full set of weighted "Touchsense" pieces.
- A 2-meter USB-C charging cable.
- Access to the app (which you still use for post-game analysis and deep dives into your stats).
You can also get bundles that include a carrying bag and checkers pieces. Yes, it plays checkers too, though using a $400 board for checkers feels a bit like using a Ferrari to go to the mailbox.
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Why It Actually Matters for Your Game
Most people struggle to transition from "screen chess" to "real-life chess." On a screen, the board is flat. You see patterns differently. When you sit down at a tournament with a 3D board, your "board vision" often fails.
The ChessUp 2 smart chess board fixes this.
You’re training your brain to see the 3D geometry of the game while still getting the data-heavy benefits of an engine. You stop looking at a glowy rectangle and start looking at the actual wood and plastic.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re thinking about picking one up, here is what you should do:
- Check your preferred time control. If you only play Bullet, skip it. This is a tool for people who like to think.
- Update the firmware immediately. Don't even play a game until you've connected it to Wi-Fi and let it update. The out-of-the-box software is often several versions behind the latest Lichess and Chess.com optimizations.
- Start with "Mistake" mode. Don't just follow the green lights. Set the assistance so it only glows red when you make a blunder. This forces you to find the best move yourself while providing a safety net so you don't throw the game away.
- Use the post-game review. The board saves your games. Sync them to the app afterward to see your accuracy score. It’s like having a coach who never gets tired of your mistakes.
The ChessUp 2 isn't just a toy; it's a bridge. It takes the most ancient game in the world and finally makes it feel like it belongs in 2026.